Page 92 of Courting Scandal With The Duke
When Barbara turned back the expression was gone, replaced by a smile of amusement.
Perhaps that look had been imagined. Certainly neither March nor Miss Lowell indicated that they saw anything amiss.
The butler came and took the request for tea.
‘Do you plan to remain long in London, March?’ Xavier asked, filling a pause that seemed rather longer than usual.
‘I return to Lisbon in a week or so. I have reports to make, meetings to attend with theCabinet.’ He gave Xavier a sort of knowing smile. ‘And other more personal business.’
The butler arrived with tea and Miss Lowell hovered over the tray, pouring from the teapot and passing the cups around.
‘You must have been disappointed to leave Paris, Father,’ Barbara said and sipped at her tea. ‘Such a beautiful city, and of such importance.’
‘Hah. Paris! A political hotbed. Wellington is welcome to it.’ There was a touch of venom in his voice and a touch of triumph in Barbara’s eyes at his response.
‘I visited the Embassy in Paris not long ago,’ Xavier said smoothly. ‘The Embassy was most impressive. An hotelextraordinaire. Wellington is a lucky man.’
‘It is magnificent,’ Barbara said. ‘Father and I stayed there briefly, before I came to London and he went to Portugal. How do you find Lisbon society, Father? Equal to Paris? Are there a great many beautiful ladies anxious for your return?’
‘Do not talk nonsense,’ March said. ‘Lisbon is an important ally.’
‘Albeit a very small one,’ Barbara said. ‘Well, I am sure you find plenty to do there.’
The Ambassador’s neck turned red and the colour flushed upward into his face. ‘I do my duty, daughter, as should we all.’
Barbara gave him a blank stare accompanied by a small smile, as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
March put down his cup and pulled out his pocketwatch. ‘Oh, my word. Is that the time? I will be late for my meeting if I do not hurry.’ He got to his feet. ‘Perhaps you would care to walk with me to Whitehall, Duke? There are a couple of matters on which I would like to seek your advice.’
‘I am sure His Grace has better things to do than advise you on which horse will win at Newmarket,’ Barbara said. ‘Indeed, I can tell you that if you would like a sure thing, you should simply make a wager onhishorse.’
‘Nonsense, Barbara. It has nothing at all to do with horses. Excuse my daughter, Your Grace. She has nothing in her head except foolish nonsense.’
It looked like a family squabble was about to break out. And for all that Xavier wanted to speak to Barbara alone, clearly now was not the time.
It would be better to wait for their assignation on Wednesday. ‘I shall be delighted to accompany you, Lord March,’ he said calmly. ‘If I can be of assistance, it will be my pleasure.’
Miss Lowell got up and rang the bell. ‘The gentlemen are leaving,’ she told the butler, and he escorted them downstairs and let them out of the front door.
‘Well!’ Aunt Lenore said the moment the gentlemen left the room. ‘What on earth were you about, Barbara? Such disrespect to your father. And in front of the Duke. What must he think?’
‘I do not give a fig for what either of them thinks.’
Not true. Barbara had realisedwhen she’d got home from the theatre the real reason why she had not used the perfect opportunity to reveal their affair to all and sundry. True, the box had been crowded, and there had been no member of the royal family present, but many members of thetonhad been there, as well as her father. It would have been so easy to create a scandal.
She just hadn’t wanted to put Xavier to such embarrassment, when it was quite obvious, he had been doing his best to protect her reputation by inviting all those other people.
Though marriage was out of the question, she could not deny that she liked him too well to embroil him in a scandal, no matter how little damage it would cause him.
There was something else she really did give a fig about. Those hints dropped by her father just now. The fact that he thought her claim to the Lipsweiger jewels was tenuous made her stomach twist in knots.
Because the more she thought about it, the more she thought that was what he had actually been saying.
She went to the window and looked down into the street. Her father and the Duke were nowhere in sight. Two men disappearing together without a care in the world. Typical.
She would like to strangle her father. Now what was she to do?
She paced to the fireplace and back to the window.
